Articles about nuclear power

Collage of illustrations relating to NASA research projects, including radioactive heater installed on astronaut's backpack on the moon

Could nuclear heaters keep astronauts warm on the moon? NASA is funding research to find out

Zeno Power Systems will study a concept for putting compact radioisotope heating devices in spacesuits used for extravehicular activity amid frigid lunar conditions. Read More

A nuclear first: TerraPower officially starts construction on next-gen Natrium plant in Wyoming

TerraPower is officially moving dirt on its facility in Wyoming, making it the first company in the U.S. to break ground on a next-generation nuclear plant. Read More

‘Leading nuclear project in the U.S.’: TerraPower closes in on key permits for first next-gen reactor

In perhaps a matter of weeks, Bill Gates-backed TerraPower expects to receive federal permits to build the nuclear components of its first-of-a-kind, next-gen plant in Wyoming. Read More

Bill Gates’ TerraPower gets NRC green light for safety in construction of its first nuclear plant

The Washington-based company backed by Bill Gates and NVIDIA could be the first to deploy a utility-scale, next-generation reactor in America. Read More

A first look at the Amazon-backed, next-generation nuclear facility planned for Washington state

A project to build one of the nation’s first next-gen nuclear facilities has just announced its name — the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility — and shared renderings of the plant. Read More

TerraPower lands $650M from NVIDIA’s investment fund, Bill Gates and others

Next-gen nuclear power company TerraPower today announced $650 million in new funding. The round includes new investor NVentures, the venture… Read More

Photo of Zeno Power executives standing in front of muran in Seattle office

Look inside Zeno Power’s ‘kitchen,’ where engineers test recipes for nuclear batteries

Researchers are fine-tuning a recipe at Zeno Power’s office-lab complex in Seattle’s South Lake Union district — but it’s not… Read More

Illustration: Lunar rover powered by nuclear battery

Zeno Power raises $50M in funding to fuel development of next-gen nuclear batteries

Zeno Power, a startup that’s headquartered in Seattle as well as Washington, D.C., today announced the completion of a $50… Read More

TerraPower CEO says company on track to deploy first-of-a-kind next-gen nuclear plant in 5 years

TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque offered a sunny picture for the work underway at the Bill Gates-backed nuclear power company in… Read More

Ultra Safe Nuclear files for bankruptcy in a procedure aimed at facilitating its sale

Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. says it has filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition as part of a court-supervised process… Read More

DOE announces $900M for next-gen reactors as Amazon launches nuclear power pursuit

Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, joined government officials and energy-sector leaders today in Virginia to announce multiple agreements… Read More

Amazon announces nuclear power deals as tech giants scramble for more clean energy

Amazon today announced agreements supporting the construction of a next-generation nuclear power plant in its home state of Washington —… Read More

Microsoft signs deal to revive Three Mile Island nuclear reactor to help power data centers

As tech companies scramble to secure new sources of energy, Microsoft on Friday announced a 20-year deal to restart a… Read More

Nuclear power company backed by Bill Gates breaks ground in Wyoming on first facility

Nuclear company TerraPower broke ground Monday on its commercial power plant, located near a soon-to-be-retired coal power plant in Kemmerer,… Read More

Cutaway view of Zeno Power's radioisotope power system

Zeno Power teams up with Westinghouse on radioisotopes for nuclear power system

Zeno Power says it has selected Westinghouse Electric Co. to process the radioisotopes for its heat sources — creating a… Read More

Zeno Power wins $7.5M Pentagon contract for underwater radioisotope power system

Zeno Power says it’s been awarded a $7.5 million contract from the Department of Defense to build and demonstrate a… Read More

PNNL team removes heat source from transfer port

Zeno demonstrates an innovative type of radioisotope heat source for off-grid power

Zeno Power says it has successfully completed its first demonstration of a new type of radioisotope heat source that could… Read More

Illustration: DRACO nuclear-powered spacecraft

DARPA and NASA pick Lockheed Martin to demonstrate DRACO nuclear rocket

NASA and the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have selected Lockheed Martin and BWX Technologies to move forward with… Read More

Next-gen nuclear reactor company signs deal to build up to 12 reactors in Washington state

X-energy, a company building next-generation nuclear reactors, announced Wednesday that it has an agreement with Energy Northwest to build up… Read More

Illustration: Nuclear thermal propulsion system

How power is blazing a trail for America’s space effort — and for nuclear startups

As more and more hardware goes into Earth orbit, and eventually to the moon and Mars, where will the power… Read More

TerraPower warns of 2-year minimum delay for launch of demo reactor due to Russia-Ukraine war

The CEO of the Bill Gates-backed nuclear power company TerraPower is warning that operation of its demonstration plant is expected… Read More

Pentagon boosts two Seattle ventures working on nuclear-powered prototypes for space applications

Two Seattle companies have won Pentagon contracts to develop nuclear-powered prototypes for space applications, with orbital demonstrations set for 2027.… Read More

Bill Gates’ TerraPower wins $8.5M in federal funding for conversion of used nuclear fuel

BELLEVUE, Wash. — TerraPower, the Bellevue-based nuclear power venture co-founded by Bill Gates, has won an $8.55 million grant from… Read More

Bill Gates’ TerraPower makes its pick for next-gen nuclear power plant in Wyoming

TerraPower, the nuclear power venture backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has chosen a soon-to-be-retired coal-fired power plant in Wyoming… Read More

Nuclear thermal propulsion system in space

USNC-Tech and Blue Origin win a contract for nuclear thermal propulsion design

Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies and its partners are among three teams winning $5 million contracts from NASA and the… Read More

Space nuclear power is nearing critical mass as the final frontier’s next frontier

The idea of putting nukes in space may sound like a national security nightmare, but the right kind of nukes… Read More

Bill Gates’ TerraPower will build its first next-gen nuclear reactor in Wyoming

TerraPower, PacifiCorp and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announced plans on Wednesday to build a next-generation nuclear power plant on the… Read More

Lasers on the moon? Nuclear rockets? NASA awards millions for way-out tech

NASA’s latest crop of space technology grants will fund work on projects ranging from power-beaming lasers for lunar missions to… Read More

TerraPower advances plans for next-gen nuclear plants, earning Bill Gates’ praise

BELLEVUE, Wash. — TerraPower, the nuclear energy venture that’s backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has gotten a boost on… Read More

Bill Gates’ TerraPower and GE Hitachi team up on proposal to build a new nuclear reactor for research

TerraPower, the nuclear energy venture backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., is collaborating with GE… Read More